Ten
by Ruby Rosetta Red
Summary: In response to the the Fan Fic Challenge at Tom Welling Unlimited, 'Your Dream Smallville Ending...' this is my interpretation for the final ever episode. All errors are my own.


** A/N: It's been a while, six years to be exact since i published anything Smallville related here. This is in reply to Tom Welling Unlimited's Fan Fiction Challenge 'Your Dream Smallville Ending'. It's a one shot, it is G rated and while i haven't yet seen season 10 thanks to wonderful UK scheduling (_thanks E4...not...)_ i've had to wing it a little. All errors are my own, i make no excuses for any soppiness, i guess i'm a soppy kinda gal. Please read and rate.. thanks. ****TEN**

* * *

He stands alone and regards the scene in front of him. All that he surveys is set out before him like a flat green blanket. The sun is high in the sky, a big golden ball. He closes his eyes and feels its warmth on his skin, feels its restorative powers seep into his very being. He opens his eyes again. In the distance he can see the faint outline of Metropolis. A brief smile tips the corner of his mouth. His future lies there.

He turns and pauses mid-step. A lot of memories are stored here, seeped in the wooden planks and held there. There has been so much experienced here; overwhelming love, stomach churning jealousy, a flash of hatred, deep passion, consuming grief, laughter, the occasional tear. If he closes his eyes, he'll remember them all as keenly as the moment he felt them. He can hear the voices of his friends past and present. He tilts his head slightly as he imagines he can hear the voice of his father, calling for him to help him with a task, to remind him that his chores still needed to be done, to call him in for dinner. He's been gone for five years now and it still hurts that he isn't here to witness all that he has achieved but the pain isn't so acute, it's like a reminding ache, a niggle. He should be here today of all days but he isn't. He feels his spirit in him and also around him.

It looks strange stripped of the second hand battered furniture that had occupied the space for so long. This was his first fortress, up until recently it was his sanctuary. His loved ones could find him here if they needed him. He loves the peace that it brings him and he'll miss it.

There's a cardboard box on the floor and he goes to it and picks it up. It's packed full but to him it weighs next to nothing. He walks down the worn wooden steps and out into the warm sunshine of the early summer morning. His truck is parked in front of the yellow house that has been his childhood home. He passes it as he goes inside.

Everything is neat and tidy. He lowers the box onto the scarred well worn kitchen table. He isn't abandoning this place entirely but he won't be back as often as before. He can't bring himself to let anyone else live here, his mother still sees the farm as her bolt hole, when she's able to escape from the rigours of senatorship. Maybe in the future he can too.

He looks back to the box and frowns slightly when he sees the framed picture on the top. Gently he lifts it out and regards it. A soft reminiscent smile curves his mouth as he looks into the hazy green gaze that he had once imagined he loved more than life. Once upon a time, such a long time ago. They had shared a lot during their time together and back then he had vowed to love no one but her. They had parted on painful terms and for a long time he had truly believed that no one else existed for him. He thought that he was destined to be completely alone, that his destiny was too important to let anything or anyone else intrude. How wrong he'd been. His mother had always believed that there would be someone out there for him. He should listen to his mother more often. She had been right there in front of him and it had taken him a while to open his eyes and actually see her. Love had followed almost immediately afterwards.

He gently places the picture of Lana on the kitchen table. She's in his past now.

* * *

A warm summer breeze is blowing as he walks through the churchyard gates. He walks slowly to his destination. If he closes his eyes, he'd still get there uninterrupted. After a little while he pauses and turns. He sees his father's name on the cool grey marble and he feels the emotion seize him by the throat and gently squeeze. He swallows a couple of times and then takes a deep breath and sighs it out. He crouches down and places the small posy of white daisies beside the more resplendent splotch of red tulips. They're fresh and he knows his mother placed them there recently.

His father should be with him today of all days. He should be here keeping him centred, offering his invaluable brand of sage advice and asking him whether he was absolutely sure about all of this. That he isn't, hurts. He misses him desperately. He reaches out and places a large hand against his name and the stone is warm to the touch. He takes it as a sign and he slowly gets to his feet. He straightens broad shoulders and pushes his hands into the pocket of his jeans. A small frown mars the space between his eyes; his bottom lip is pushed out slightly. Then he relaxes slightly and looks up into the clear cloudless blue sky.

His cell phone chirps into life as he's leaving the cemetery. He's tempted to ignore it but at the same time realises that if he does, today of all days, he'd be taking his life into his hands. He pauses and takes the phone out of his pocket and notices that its Oliver. He refuses to feel guilty at the brief rush of relief that it's not Lois.

"You're still in Smallville aren't you?" It's not a question and Clark rolls his eyes.

"I've got a lot of things to do" he tells him.

"No disrespect Clark but the most important thing you have to do today is in Metropolis" he reminds him. As if he'd forget.

"I know. I just needed to do some…stuff"

"You need to hurry up, it's half an hour to show time Boy Scout" Clark frowned slightly. He hates it when he calls him that.

"I'll be there" With time to spare

"Make sure you are" and he disconnects the call.

* * *

In the blink of an eye he's back at the farmhouse. He's in his bedroom. The tuxedo is hung up in front of him and he regards it. He experiences a brief moment of panic. Can he really do this? Is love really enough? If he bolted now, he knows for a fact Lois will hunt him down and kill him herself, he doesn't doubt that for an instant. He clenches his fists and forces himself to breathe. He wants this; he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He turns away from the suit and walks to the window. Again he takes in the scene in front of him. He feels calm again and he goes back to the tuxedo. He unhooks it and lays it on the bed. He peels off his t-shirt.

Oliver is pacing when Clark makes his appearance. He sees the look of utter relief cross his friend's face when he turns and sees him standing there.

"Finally!" he exclaims and Clark looks at his watch. He regards his friend and raises a quizzical eyebrow.

"There's at least five minutes left" He wants to grin but doesn't, the look on his friend's face tells him not to. He looks…he looks panic stricken, as though it's him going through this.

"Five minutes? Clark, Lois has been driving Chloe nuts for the last _fifteen_!" he hisses, striding towards him. He pauses in front of him and tweaks the bow tie straight. He regards him with serious dark brown eyes.

"Ready?" He watches his friend straighten to his full six feet four inches. Is he ready? He nods.

"As I'll ever be" he confirms.

"Then let's get this show on the road"

He watches her walk towards him on the arm of her father. She looks radiant in ivory, pale pink roses in her arms, to match the pale pink rose blush in her cheeks. Her smile is huge and he can't help but smile in return. This is right, this is what he wants. He realises this whole heartedly now. He takes her hand and they both turn to the priest.

Part way through the service, he feels the faintest lurch of nausea, a short prickle of pain dart through his system. It's fleeting and he tries not to pay too much attention to it but at the back of his mind he knows the cause. He blinks and it's gone.

The priest confirms their union as they embrace. They turn to their guests amidst the flow of applause and the occasional whistle and quickly his eyes search her out. She's not there but she was.

They emerge from the cool church interior into the warm early summer sunshine and he feels it again. He pauses.

He sees her across the street. He waits for that pang but it doesn't come. For a moment they just look at each other. He watches her disappear into the crowds of people who've stopped to watch the festivities.

Ten years ago he believed her to be the girl of his dreams.

Ten years ago he was on the cusp of an incredible journey towards his destiny.

Ten years later he's finally here with the woman of his dreams.

With the future of his dreams. He looks at Lois and feels it flood through him.

Love.

**FIN.**


End file.
